The Vines of the Dunedain
by madkittywithabox
Summary: Wishes supposedly come true when comets fly by. The thing is...Iris didn't make a wish. So, why is she suddenly in a different world? To top it all off, she looks nothing like herself. Armed with her fat cat and knowledge of the Fellowship's quest that she cant seem to say out loud, Iris learns about life, love, and friendship. BAD SUMMARY. SORRY. RATED M FOR LANGUAGE ONLY I SWEAR.
1. Prologue (Part 1)

**Prologue (Part 1): The Drawing I Can't Remember**

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Sooooo, hiiiii everyone or anyone who might read this. While this might not be my first fanfiction, it is my first LOTR one and the first one on my new account. Feel free to read and review. Or don't. It's up to you. Enjoy!

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 _Perfect_. I leaned back in my office chair and surveyed the work in front of me. I wasn't much of an artist, but I could certainly draw when the urge set in. What lay before me was another character sketch that I could add to my portfolio of OC characters. I know most people hated Mary Sues, in fact I count my self amongst those people quite often, but that doesn't mean it wasn't fun for me to draw one for each of my favorite books, movies, or shows every once in a while. The one in front of me was the first, probably of many, for Lord of the Rings.

I was pretty satisfied as I took in her long black hair, so long it must reach past her hips at least. Come to think of it, the longest I usually draw my characters hair is to their waist, and that's pretty rare. I stick with shoulder-length or pixie cuts mostly so I don't have to imagine the character struggle with long hair. My character also had startling forest green eyes, a slender, feminine build, and small rounded ears.

In fact, the closer I looked at the drawing, the less I remember making it. She had a small heart-shaped face, a few freckles smattered here and there, but mostly clear, slightly tan skin, and demure dark pink lips placed in a smirk. Her clothes consisted of brown pants and a light green tunic-like shirt fit to her body by what looked like gold bands and such. She was carrying a silver bow and white arrows across her back and a short sword strapped to her belt. But none of that was weird, ignoring the fact that I don't remember drawing it of course. What was odd was the weird pale grey vine-like…tattoos crawling up her right arm. But that couldn't be right…could it? Why would I draw that…" _MRRROW!"_

I jumped at the shuffle of papers next to me.

"Jesus H. Christ, Danica, you scared the crap out of me," I almost yelled at my poor cat.

Her green-yellow eyes stared back unrepentant for a moment or two more before moving across my art. I absently scratched her black and white head before picking up her slightly lumpy body onto my lap and turning my chair to face the room.

She continued to purr as I took in the boxes surrounding me. It was hard to believe I was going to be leaving for college at the end of the weekend. I could hardly say I was excited, despite how much I yearned for my freedom. I had just turned nineteen two days ago due to my birthday being in August, and despite already technically being an adult, I am by no means ready to leave the nest.

I'm not clingy or anything, despite what you are thinking. It's just, I have two little siblings I'm not quite ready to let go of yet. I'm the middle child of eight kids, but as my older siblings left the house, I gradually became the old sibling myself to my one younger sister. Then, two years and half ago, the twins, the lights of my life, were born. It seemed to change everything. Babysitting them clearly showed me how to be responsible, but it also showed me that maybe I wasn't ready to leave home.

Not that I could exactly tell my parents or friends this. My parents have already sacrificed so much to pay for me to get into college and are so excited for me. My dad even called in a favor to get the college to allow me to bring Danica with me and bought her the plane ticket for the seat next to me. How could I break their hearts and tell them that their supposedly prodigy child didn't really know what she wanted to do with her life?

Exactly. I couldn't do that to them. So, with a fake smile, I packed up my stuff and got ready for a life I didn't want. Or maybe I do want it. I keep trying to tell myself that I won't know if I like it until I try it, but it hasn't really worked so far.

With a sigh, I stood up, completely forgetting the lump of cat sitting on my lap. She meowed angrily and clawed my pajama-clad legs, then wandered off to sulk on my bed. I was about to turn off the light and join her for some well-deserved sleep when the mirror caught my eye.

Walking up to it, I certainly felt inferior. To what? I have no idea. Maybe my thirteen year old sister? She had that whole blonde hair, blue eyes, tall thing going for her, while I was the complete opposite. Hell, even my drawing looked better than I did, with my muddy green-brown eyes, sallow skin and lips, and my shoulder-length, wavy brown hair. Picking up my hair, I almost scoffed out loud; the purple streaks I had put in a few weeks ago were already fading, leaving gross colored blonde streaks in their wake.

Another _meow_ from direction of my bed had me grumbling, "Alright, alright, I'm coming. Don't get your paws in a twist." Cuddled up with my cat and my blankets, I finally settled in to sleep, not noticing the strange light twinkling in from between my blinds.

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 **A/N:** Hi, me again. Sorry. Ummm, so Aragorn isn't in here yet, but he will be within the next two chapters at least. Sorry its so short too, but I promise it will get longer.


	2. Prologue (Part 2)

Prologue (Part 2): Goodbyes Are Never Easy  
Hello. Well, here's the next and final part of the prologue. I didn't mean to spit it up, but I was so excited to get it out there I guess. Anyway, enough rambling. Read and review if you want.  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for Iris and her family.

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"Honey, hurry up, let's go!"

My mom was walking up ahead, frantically trying to find the security gate. If people stopped to stair at her half-shaved blonde-streaked hair, she certainly didn't notice or just ignored it.

"She knows the plane doesn't start boarding for another three hours, right?" I asked, turning to my too-tall dad as he struggled to contain one of the twins in his arms.

"Well, yeah, but I'm sure she just doesn't want you to get stuck in any lines or crowds…" he trailed off.

We both looked around at the nearly empty airport, and I quirked my eyebrow at him when our eyes met again.

"Oh, hush," he muttered as he ushered me in her direction.

We finally caught up with my mom five minutes later when we found her standing anxiously in front of the security line I was supposed to get in. My dad trailed in behind me, now wrestling both twins back into their stroller, with my moody thirteen year old sister following him and making no move to help.

I was just placing my bag down, preparing to say my goodbyes when I was tackled by thin and surprisingly strong arms. Struggling to maneuver my head up, I was struck the smell of my mom's easily recognizable perfume. I could feel her tears falling on my shoulder and I struggled to keep the tears at bay myself.

"I'm going to miss you so much, mom," I sniffled. I really hope I remembered to pack tissues in my carry on.

"I'm going to miss you too, Iris. You're dad would be so proud of you," she sobbed in my shoulder (Ew, mom, come on, I just cleaned my jacket.)

A couple more sobs, then she straightened up and wiped her eyes. Eyes I inherited from her, despite how much she wishes they were the same brown as my dad's.

Turning from her I faced my dad, or step-dad I guess. My biological dad died in his sleep when I was six. As much as I loved him, I'd grown to love my step-dad just about as much when he came into our lives six years ago. He'd proven to be strong, like what dads are supposed to be, and so much more beyond that. He was the one giving me advice, picking me up when I needed it, and teasing me when we both knew I was being stupid or was in over my head. To top it all off, he kept my mom grounded and I couldn't be happier for them both.

Looking at his six foot four frame towering over me and his premature grey hair, I had to restrain myself from bowling him over with a hug.

"Wha-…hey now, little bean. It'll be okay. Its only a few months, and then you'll be back here babysitting in no time."

Repressing a sob/laugh at his teasing tone, I knew he was sad to see me go, too. But not one to refrain from sassing back someone I know too well, I replied, "You wish. By the time I get back, I'll be so smart, you might actually have to start paying me to babysit."

He snorted at my lame tear-filled comeback and hugged me once more before forcing me onto my thirteen year sister, Carrie. She was busy checking out the cute guy a feet away and therefore didn't see me tripping into her. We would've landed on the floor in an array of limbs and quickly-stifled curse words if it wasn't for my dad steadying us.

Carrie glared at me before glancing down at her feet. Puzzled as to why she wasn't chewing me out for "embarrassing her in public", I stood there until I heard a sniffle. Startled, I realized she was actually crying in _public_ and it was about _me_.

I quickly hugged her and whispered in her ear, "Hey, Car, it's fine. I'll only be gone for a little while. I'll be back before you know it to torment and embarrass you."

She giggled then wiped her eyes. "You okay?" I asked, genuinely concerned.

Naturally, she rolled her eyes. "Of course, I'm fine, you dolt. Now, hurry up and say goodbye to the twins so we can leave. I can't be seen publicly associating with you too much," she said, the last part with a wry grin that too quickly disappeared.

I grinned back then crouched in front of the stroller for the hardest parts of my goodbyes. The twins, Kea and Kawai, stared back at me, not sure what was happening. I always thought it odd that they seemed to be polar opposites in everything. They were fraternal twin, which one could tell easily enough with Kea's red curly hair, chocolate brown eyes, and small build compared to Kawai's dark brown, straight hair, blue eyes, and stockier build. Even their personalities seemed to contrast one another. Kawai was the quiet, gentle giant, but he had a temper if well provoked. Kea, on the other hand, seemed to constantly be talking and running around with endless energy, but strangely enough, she never seemed to get truly mad, only bossy and slightly violent. It made me love them both all the more.

"Iris, where you going? Do you have to go bye-bye?" Kea asked in her small voice. "Bye-bye?" Kawai echoed.

"Yeah, I have to go now. But I will be back before you know it, and then we can all play together again, okay?"

I was trying to even harder not to cry when they both just nodded, not exactly understanding. But, then again, how could they? So, I smiled, albeit a little shakily, and gave them hugs.

With that over, I grabbed my carry-on and Danica's carrier and smiled at my small mismatch family, only looking slightly out of place in the grimy airport. Finally, I said my 'I love yous' and got in line for security, waving and smiling until they couldn't see me anymore.

Sighing and still fighting off tears, I trudged onwards to find the gate number that corresponded to the little paper ticket in my hand and to my new life.

But I couldn't help but worry over my siblings. I mean, would they even remember me when I came back from my first year of college? What if…

 _Smack._

So lost in my thoughts, I apparently wasn't watching where I was going, which is a very dangerous thing for someone as klutzy and accident-prone as I was.

Dazed, I first noticed my bag and all my things lying scattered around me, with Danica meowing in her carrier a few feet away.

Then, I saw the old man I had so graciously knocked down, frantically trying to help me clean up my stuff. _Seriously? I had to knock down the probably the only old man in this entire, tiny airport._

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry…shit…I can't believe I….I'm so sorry. Here let me…" The words poured out of my mouth with no filter as I clamored to help the poor guy off his feet.

"It's no worry at all, dear," he rasped in a slightly familiar voice. Quickly, I shoved my art book back in my bag, then stood up with him.

He wore wearing a dark grey jacket over a grey shirt and jeans that had definitely seen better days. On top of his very grey hair (Is there anything that isn't grey on him?), he wore a fedora that covered most of his face, besides his slightly unruly beard, in almost complete shadows. _Wait a moment…how is that even possible? He's wearing a fedora for crying out loud, not a damn sun visor._

"Hurry on now, my dear child. Wouldn't want to miss a new adventure, now would we?"

Flabbergasted, I sputtered out, "I-I guess so, sir. Well, um, sorry…again…and thank you? Um, okay, right…plane. Bye!"

And with that strange encounter playing on my mind, I rushed off to find my plane once again.

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 **A/N:** Also, sorry, but Aragorn will be coming up within the next chapter. :)


	3. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Airplanes Suck**

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Hello! So, first off, I would like to thank _**TMI Fairy**_ so much for the reviews and everyone else who has read it so far. Also, it gets kind of angsty towards the end. SORRY. So, anyhoo, onto another chapter!

 **Disclaimer:** Tolkien owns Lord of the Rings, not me. I just own Iris, her family, and her cat.

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 _Finally. Geez, people act like their seat is going to burst into flames if they don't get to it on time and there's barely anyone on this stupid plane anyway._

I was ranting quite loudly in my thoughts as I sat down in the airplane and gingerly rubbed my side. There had been a very persistent old lady behind me in the plane aisle armed with a bag that was probably stuffed with bricks…or rocks…or something.

Clearly, I am too tired for this.

 _Meow._

"Just hold on, Danica. Oh, look the sun's setting, kitty. This is the last one we'll see from home," I crooned to myself and my cat.

"You leaving home, kid? What for?"

Startled, I looked up to see some slightly creepy guy waiting to get to his seat. _Hey, that's not nice. He's just making conversation, Iris. Besides, he's not the one talking to his cat. Now, quick say something before he thinks you're crazy AND rude._

Distracted by my inner ramble, it took me a couple of moments to reply, "Oh, um, college. I mean, I'm going to college."

"Hmmmm….really? I wouldna pegged ya for a college girl. I mean you look a little young, but I'm sure you know how to have fun all the same," he leered, accompanying that last part with a disgusting eyebrow wiggle.

Surprised and mostly disgusted, I stammered, "Ex-excuse me?"

"Sir? Excuse me? Sir?! You need to keep moving down the aisle, please!"

 _Oh thank god._

Saved by the stewardess. The man winked (I think that was supposed to be a wink) and kept walking down to his seat that was blissfully far away from mine.

 _See, this is what you get for talking to yourself out loud. Not only do you sound crazy, but apparently, you attract crazy, too._

Sighing, I leaned back as far as I could in the stiff airplane seat and settled in for a nap.

* * *

With a jolt, I slammed back into reality. Huh, I must've slept through take-off. Weird, I've never done that before. I must've been more tired then I thought. Guess it's even better I took a red eye flight then.

Glancing in Danica's cage, I noticed she was thankfully asleep. Now, what in the world woke me up…

"And once again, we would just like to thank you for choosing us as your airline. Now, tonight, we have a special and rare treat. If you look to your far right, you can see a very, _very_ bright dot with a streak behind it. Apparently, this is one of the brightest comets we will see until Haley's comet appears in a couple of years."

The stewardess' voice warbled on some more on the overhead, but I had already tuned her out in order to gaze out at the comet twinkling in the distance. It was beautiful the way it glittered amongst the blackened starry skies. Mesmerized, I reached up and placed my fingertips against the cool glass where the comet appeared to hang in the sky. It almost seemed to wink playfully down at me in response.

 _Huh_ … _Is there some sort of illusion that makes comets appear larger and brighter for a moment? Wait a sec…_

Several things seemed to happen at once.

What felt like fire and lightning seemed to race down my right arm, all the way from the fingertips placed gingerly on the window then straight through my arm where it seemed to plunge directly into my heart with icy abandon.

Then, suddenly, there was lurch to the plane, that jerked me forward in my seat, knocking my arm off the window and nearly slamming Danica's cage onto the floor. There was a commotion as one of the stewardesses rushed to the front of plane from her place in the aisle and all the passengers shifted uneasily.

"Ladies and gentlemen, if you would please remain calm. It seems to have been just an unexpected bout of turbulence.," she rambled out breathlessly.

No sooner had she spoken the words when the plane started jerking and shaking around, rougher than the first time.

 _This seems a little too intense for turbulence._

When the shaking seemed to intensify, the air masks dropped down from the ceiling, scaring the shit out of me when I was already beyond scared.

I quickly secured my air mask and tried not to hyperventilate. But I realized I had a pretty big problem sitting next to me.

 _SHIT. I can't leave Danica to die and I doubt she can breathe up here. FUCKING SHIT._

Trying not to panic still, I struggled to open Danica's cage and move her on to my lap. I didn't have to worry too much about her running off because she was basically scared shitless and there was no way in hell I was letting her run off.

 _I REALLY doubt they made these stupid air masks for cats, but its worth a shot,_ I thought to myself while scrambling to hold the air mask over my cat head.

I choked back a scream when the plane seemed to shake and lurch in earnest. Craning my head to look out the window, I couldn't see anything that could be causing the plane trouble.

In fact, the only thing I noticed out of the ordinary was the comet.

 _That thing seems to be a hell of a lot closer than it was before._

I squinted my eyes in hopes of telling what it might be.

BANG.

Suddenly, my world became blindingly white and full of scorching heat. The airplane was no longer around me and I fell through the air, sightless, and still clutching my poor cat to my chest.

A unbearable second of unthinkable pain and agony passed as I continued to free fall towards the earth below me and I could only imagine the pain Danica was in, if she was still alive.

Then, just as I was saying my prayers to a god I'd never truly believed in, ice seemed to surge out from my chest, cooling the heat as it went first down my right arm and then outwards around my whole body.

The pain worsened incredibly, but the blinding white light clouding my vision seemed to fade. Black crept in around my thoughts and then, blissfully, I knew no more.

* * *

 **BREAKING NEWS**

 _"A few hours ago, an American air liner traveling from Hawaii to Washington went missing. Authorities received one distress signal while it was still somewhere over the Pacific before transmissions cut off. This has led authorities to believe the plane may have crashed and have sent a search out not long ago to look for survivors and wreckage. Our thoughts and prayers are with those onboard the plane and their families."_

* * *

 _*RING, RING *_

 _*RING, RING *_

 _*RI— *_

A hand shoots off the bed to grab at the ringing phone in the dark. It nearly shoves the phone off the table in the attempt to answer it before someone else wakes up.

"Ugh…hello"

" _Hello? I'm sorry to bother you, but is this Mrs. Claire Caro? Mother of Iris Caro?"_

The hand rubs tired, worn eyes that are surrounded by laugh lines: laugh lines caused by spending too much time teasing and fretting over children.

 _"Hello? Ma'am? Are-are you still there?"_

"Hmm? Oh…right. Sorry. I'm here. Of course, I'm here. Wait, sorry…again, but who is this?"

An awkward pause passes by as the voice on the phone clears their throat and the hand stills in sudden anxiousness, and then begins to fidget as the silence weighs down heavily for a moment and tension spills across the phone.

 _"Well, ma'am, I'm with the government, and I'm terribly sorry to inform you of this, b-but you're daughter, Iris, she was in an acci—"_

"An accident?! What kind of accident?! Oh god! Is she okay?"

 _"I— well, we believe the plane she was on crashed in the Pacific sometime earlier this night. We sent a search crew out a few hours ago and they found the wreckage. They looked in the surrounding areas and anywhere survivors might have drifted, b-but with no luck. I-I'm so sorry, again ma'am, but you're daughter's body was not found and is believed to be dead along with everyone else on the flight…"_

The voice prattled on and on about the tragedy or something or other, but nobody was listening any more. The phone had fallen from the hand to drop silently to the sheets below.

Both hands, now covered in wet, grief-stricken tears, tried to hold a woman, a mother together as she fell apart. Soon, when the horrific events could be understood as they fell from pain-filled cries, another pair of hands, a loving father's hands, hugged the woman closer.

And together, they grieved, never to know the true fate of their beloved daughter.

* * *

 **In Middle Earth…**

A bright streak of light seemed to burst into the sky from nowhere. To those of the untrained eye, it might seem as if it was merely a shooting star. A few minutes pass and the fiery ball seems to grow larger until it can be heard thundering down towards the earth at an alarming speed. With a loud boom, the light from the ball expands briefly and the ball continues on its way until it crashes loudly in the surrounding wilderness.

Not too far away, a certain wizard and Ranger witness the light appear and disappear just over the horizon where they here it crash. Suddenly, the wizard turns to the man next to him and asks him to continue on without him.

"I will meet you in Bree soon, as discussed, but do not worry, my friend," he tells the Ranger. His tone brooks no argument, so the man offers none.

And with that, the wizard rode off in the direction the meteor crashed with lots of haste and a small twinkle in his eye.

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 **A/N:** So...Aragorn is briefly, kinda in this chapter if you caught that? I originally was going to have just him meet Iris in the beginning, but I didn't quite like that and decided to go a different way with it. Sorry if any is disappointed, but we will get to Aragorn soon, I promise!


	4. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Gandalf the Crazy Makes My Life Hell**

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I'M BACK! Sorry, guys it's been a bit of a busy week. Also, thank you so much to **_TMI Fairy_** and **_Nimrodel626_** for the reviews. As for your question, Nimrodel, I was originally planning on following the books. However, my friend just 'borrowed' my copy of the book and probably doesn't intend on giving it back any time soon. So, since I know the movies by memory better anyway, I think I'll do my best to stick to mostly movieverse. Anyway, here is the new chapter. As always, read and review if you like it. Enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** I only own Iris, her cat, her horse, and her family. The rest belongs to Tolkien.

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 _Being dead makes my face feel sweaty….and my left foot feels uncomfortably warm…and it smells like…a horse?_

Suddenly, I was startled into a sitting position when a horse neighed uncomfortably close to…wherever I was. _Where the fuck am I?_ If the pounding in my head and aches all over my body were any indication, I certainly wasn't dead.

Blinking the sun out of my eyes, it took me a moment to get my bearings. I tried to inconspicuously pat down my legs and make sure I had all my limbs. Once all my limbs were accounted for, I found Danica, that fat lump, was the reason why my left foot was warm and currently going numb.

 _Huh. That's where she must have landed when we…fell. Out of an airplane. How is it I'm not dead again?_

"Hey! Danica! Get up. I need to move and I don't know where we are but my foot is stuck under you and I'm freaking out and we just fell out of an airplane and I cant stop my run-on sentences and I think I'm panicking. Did you gain another tail when we…crashed or is it just me? Maybe its me because I'm really _really_ dizzy."

She sat up slowly and meowed at me, letting me know she was alive and well, if not a little sore.

I trailed off on a remix of "oh god", "what the fuck", and hyperventilation when a voice suddenly sounded off to my right.

"Do not fret so much, my dear. You are safe."

I looked wildly around for the owner of the voice, barely taking in the surrounding trees and the crater I was in before I saw what looked like an old man and a horse standing there watching me.

I stared dumbly at the horse before my gaze shifted back to the old man. I squinted my eyes as I studied his grey robes and grey pointy hat that casted shadows over his bearded face.

 _Why does he seem so familiar? Wait a moment….NO….but that's impossible…Nevermind that, Iris. Get your head in the game and start asking the real questions._

"Ahem, excuse me sir, I'm afraid I really have no idea what has happened to me…or where the fuck I am…but would you mind pointing me to the nearest phone or city or normal sane-looking person?"

He looked very amused for a moment before he took a few steps towards me and spoke, "Well, it seems I may only be able to help you with one of those things. All I can offer really is an explanation, but it may not be one to your liking."

I gulped and scrutinized his still strangely familiar features for any signs that he wasn't telling the whole truth. He seemed to take it as a sign to continue. He strode forward once more until he towered over my huddled form sitting inside the crater. His horse was still staring at me from his spot a few feet back. _Creepy_.

"Now, what's the last thing you remember?"

"Well, I was flying from my home all the way to Washington to attend college. Then, there was this comet…and then, oh god, everything was burning and I was falling. After that, nothing."

The man paused and appeared to be considering something before he talked again.

"I see. Well, let's start with the comet. Last night, whilst you were traveling in your world, you encountered a rare sight. In your world, many people, ordinary people in fact, perceive this particular phenomenon as a 'comet.' You, however, Iris Caro, are definitely not ordinary. You saw the comet for what it truly was: a tiny crack between worlds. Now—"

"Hold on just a mo' here. How the hell do you know my name? Who are you?"

"All in due time, my dear, all in due time. Now, may I continue?"

I huffed and motioned with my hands for him to go on. He raised an eyebrow and then spoke.

"Now, normally, this crack passes by between worlds, affecting no one and nothing. As I said before, you are not normal. Something about you called to the comet and drew you in, flinging you from your world to…well…here."

"And…where is here exactly?"

"This land is known by a few names, but I believe you know it best as Middle Earth, and I am Gandalf the Grey."

There was an awkward pause where it seemed he was waiting for me to be in awe or shock. _Screw that._

"Right…well, as much as I would love to sit here all day and get caught up in your disturbingly detailed delusions, I really need to find a phone or help that doesn't come in the form of crazy, weirdly-dressed old men with horses that have staring problems. So…bye!"

I tried to stand up to leave the freak show, but immediately pain shot up my left foot when I put my weight on it. My body went right back down to sprawl in the dirt. Danica coughed and I knew she was laughing at me on the inside.

 _Damn cat. Damn foot. Damn crazy guy. Why can't I just go home?_

"I wouldn't recommend running off just yet, Miss Caro. It seems you have sustained some injuries when you fell."

I muttered obscenities into the ground, but he either didn't hear me or ignored me. Probably the latter if his chuckle was anything to go by. I carefully rolled myself back up into a sitting position, trying not to jostle my foot so much.

" I am telling you the truth and I think you know so, too. We've even met before. Surely that should account for something."

"I've never seen you before in my life. I think I would remember meeting a wack-job like you…no."

Flashes of a grey fedora, a hurried conversation, and my spilled bag on the airport floor rushed across my mind.

"Indeed. I was asked to meet you before you arrived to make sure you were the one. I see now the Valar have in fact made a good choice."

 _Why would the gods of fictional realm choose me for something? Wait...why am I even considering this? This is crazy. Yet, it doesn't seem like he's lying…and he does look a lot like the man at the airport and Sir Ian McKellen from the movies._

"Why should I believe you? How do I know this isn't some crazy dream I'm having while in a coma in a hospital somewhere?

'Gandalf' huffed in irritation and replied, "This is nonsense we don't have time for any more, Miss Caro. If I say you are in another world, then you are indeed in another world. I have no reason to lie to you, just as you have no reason not to believe me."

With each word he spoke, his gaze turned darker and so did the world around him, but it might've been my imagination. It did leave me with a nasty chill though.

He quietly took a breath to calm himself down, then carried on as if he hadn't just lost his temper in a scary way.

"Now, let's get you cleaned and fixed up a bit before we carry on."

At some unspoken command, his creepy horse moved towards me so I could use him as a crutch. Too tired (and scared) to fight, I wrapped my arm around his neck and hobbled delicately towards a nearby spring the horse led me to. While Gandalf rustled around in his bag for whatever he was looking for, I decided to wash my face in the glassy-looking water in front me.

I couldn't help it. I screamed. It startled Gandalf so much he nearly dropped whatever he grabbed from his bag. He hurried over to my side.

"Hush now, Miss Caro. What troubles you?"

"T-that's not my—," I cut myself off and cautiously scooted forward to see my reflection again.

Except what I saw in the water wasn't my reflection. The face staring back at me looked nothing like my face. Incredibly long black hair framed dark green eyes, a straight nose, full lips, and a slender face covered in a light tan and a few freckles.

Gandalf sat patiently by my side while I waved my hand in front my reflection, watching its hand do the same. That's when I noticed the mark.

Thin grey lines and the occasional leaf or two twirled themselves up my right arm to my elbow. _That's funny. This almost looks exactly like…_

And that's when everything clicked. And I burst into hysterical laughter.

"Miss Caro, are you alright?" Came Gandalf's worried voice from what sounded like far away.

"I can't…HA…believe…HAHA," I struggled to breathe out.

The realization that I somehow looked like some stupid Mary-Sue drawing I made and that this all might actually be real was occurring to me all at once and it was kicking my sanity to the curb.

My laughing only seemed to get worse while Gandalf's voice got further and further. Black spots quickly began closing in around the vision of my hysterical reflection until I knew blackness once more.

* * *

 _I really need to stop passing out. I might actually become a Mary-Sue,_ I thought before I completely lost consciousness.

I came to with my left foot still sore and my face once again sweaty. I took my time sitting up, not wanting to be dizzy again. A lot of time must have passed since I fainted because light no longer shone through the dappled trees but instead came from a small campfire a few feet from my spot on the forest floor.

"Good to see you awake, my dear. I was beginning to worry."

Gandalf was sitting across the fire from me, smoking what looked like a pipe. I tried to reply, but my throat was too dry to emit anything other than an awkward squeak. He noticed my predicament and handed me a canteen of water with a look of wry amusement.

Before I could try to speak again, Gandalf said, "We have much to discuss, Miss Caro. Unfortunately, time is not on our side. I have business I must take care of in the South and I cannot take you with me. Its too dangerous for a young, untrained woman such as yourself to go into the wilderness by herself, but I'm afraid we don't have much choice. You shall make for Bree on horse when morning breaks. I have a friend there who shall take care of you until we meet again."

"Whoa, slow down there, wizard-man. What do you mean I have to travel by myself? I may know this place from the books and movies, but not nearly enough to know where I'm going without help."

"You won't be without help. When you wake in the morning, you shall find another horse in my place. I trust this horse to keep you safe and out of harm's way until you reach Bree. But the journey won't be without difficulty, so it's best you get some more rest for tomorrow."

I tried to protest a bit more, but a huge yawn took away my words and cleared my head of all thoughts but sleep. I curled back up on the floor with Danica curled in my side while Gandalf chuckled quietly from across the flames.

* * *

I was woken up by something nudging my head rather roughly. I tried to push it away and curl back into the uncomfortable ground, but whatever it was snuffled rather loudly in my ear. I jolted into a sitting position, jarring my stiff muscles back into action.

Another nudge on my back and I turned around to see a large chestnut mare with white spots standing proudly behind me. I glanced around, and sure enough, true to his word, Gandalf was already gone, leaving me alone with a horse I had no idea how to deal with.

 _Well, here goes nothing._

"Ummm…hi there!" The horse knickered in response and moved toward me so I could stroke her head.

After about five minutes of calming both her and myself down, I finally moved to her side to try and figure out how to get on. She already had a saddle and two saddle bags off to the side.

I noticed there seemed to be some type of writing on the saddle amidst the design of vines and flowers. It didn't appear to be any language I actually could understand, but I knew immediately it must be Elvish because of the elegant slant.

 _Fan-fucking-tastic.. I wish I had loved the books more to go and learn Elvish. It certainly might make this hell-hole more bearable. Whatever, time to get this shit show on the road._

Sticking my foot in one of the stirrups, I prepared to launch myself over the horse and into the saddle.

 _MROW_.

"FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, DANICA!"

While I was so preoccupied trying to mount the damn horse, I never noticed that my cat apparently occupied one of the saddlebags. She seemed content to just lay there, so I left her alone. It certainly beat having to carry her fat ass while trying to balance on a horse.

Out of curiousity, I peaked in the saddlebag and saw Gandalf left me with a few provisions, a water canteen, and a small grey cloak.

 _I sure hope this isn't all his. Despite all this crap, I really don't want to be too big of a burden on anyone, even him._

I nabbed the cloak and wrapped it around myself, trying to conceal my t-shirt and jeans, which were the same ones I had worn on the plane. I don't know how they stayed the same while my face changed, but I didn't feel like complaining. They were a little singed in some places and tighter since I seemed to be a bit taller here, but it wasn't too bad and definitely could be worse with my luck.

After what felt like an hour, I finally managed to get on and stay on the horse without falling off. As soon as I was stabilized and as comfortable as I could get, the brown horse seemed to take that as sign to start walking.

And so my journey in the wilderness by myself with only a cat, a horse, and no weapon other than my wit to help me survive, I set off. I prayed to every god I knew, including the ones that apparently rule over the land I was in and asked for a miracle and that Gandalf wasn't some crazy old man.

 _I'm so screwed._

* * *

 **A/N:** I know for a fact Aragorn will be in the next chapter. Hang in there guys!


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